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Grant funders / California / The Foundation for Santa Barbara

The Foundation for Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara, California  ·  EIN 953234551  ·  Private foundation

Based in Santa Barbara, California, The Foundation for Santa Barbara has awarded $25.5M across 22 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to Santa Barbara City College. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.

$7.8M
Annual giving (FY2020)
$62.5M
Total assets
22
Grants tracked
2024
Most recent grant

What The Foundation for Santa Barbara funds

The Foundation for Santa Barbara's giving carries a documented focus on civil rights & social justice, education, environment & conservation, higher education.

Civil Rights & Social JusticeEducationEnvironment & ConservationHigher Education

Grant history

The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Foundation for Santa Barbara, by amount:

RecipientLocationGrantYear
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ASSURE ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR THE STUDENTS OF SANTA
Santa Barbara, CA$4.2M2019
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BY ENRICHING COLLEGE PROGRAMS, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS,
Santa Barbara, CA$4.0M2024
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BY ENRICHING COLLEGE PROGRAMS, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS,
Santa Barbara, CA$3.9M2020
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING ACCESSIBLE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT ASSURE ACADEMIC AND VOCATIONAL EXCELLENCE FOR THE STUDENTS OF SANTA
Santa Barbara, CA$3.8M2018
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BY ENRICHING COLLEGE PROGRAMS, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS,
Santa Barbara, CA$3.2M2022
Santa Barbara City College
TO ASSIST THE COLLEGE IN PROVIDING OUTSTANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL BY ENRICHING COLLEGE PROGRAMS, REMOVING BARRIERS TO ACCESS,
Santa Barbara, CA$2.8M2023
Partners in Community Renewal
COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS FOLLOWING LOCAL DISASTERS.
Santa Barbara, CA$965K2020
Mem Employee Ownership Trust Udt Dated August 3 2022
FUNDING FOR ACQUISITION OF PARTIAL OWNERSHIP INTEREST BY NEWLY CREATED EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP TRUST
Montecito, CA$850K2023
Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade
COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS DURING LOCAL DISASTERS.
Santa Barbara, CA$815K2018
Santa Barbara Support Network
COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS DURING LOCAL DISASTERS.
Santa Barbara, CA$310K2018
Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade
COMMUNITY RECOVERY EFFORTS DURING LOCAL DISASTERS.
Santa Barbara, CA$192K2019
The San Marcos High School Royal Pride Foundation
BUILDING COMMUNITY WELLNESS CAMPAIGN
Santa Barbara, CA$100K2024
Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History
GLADWIN PLANETARIUM EQUIPMENT UPGRADE
Santa Barbara, CA$97K2024
Santa Barbara City College
DIRECT AID TO 120 MEMBERS OF THE CAMPUS COMMUNITY DURING LOCAL DISASTERS.
Santa Barbara, CA$40K2018
Akili Project Dba Sports Industry Academy
ACADEMY FEES FOR STUDENTS
Santa Barbara, CA$24K2024

The Foundation for Santa Barbara giving by year

Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:

2018$5.0M
2019$4.4M
2020$4.9M
2022$3.2M
2023$3.7M
2024$4.3M

How to apply for funding from The Foundation for Santa Barbara

The Foundation for Santa Barbara's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal. You can review the foundation directly at sbccfoundation.org.

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Frequently asked questions about The Foundation for Santa Barbara

Does The Foundation for Santa Barbara accept grant applications?
The Foundation for Santa Barbara's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
What does The Foundation for Santa Barbara fund?
The Foundation for Santa Barbara's grants focus on civil rights & social justice. Recent recipients include Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara City College. Its full grant history is listed above.
How much does The Foundation for Santa Barbara give in grants?
The Foundation for Santa Barbara reported $7.8M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $25.5M over 22 grants.
Where is The Foundation for Santa Barbara located?
The Foundation for Santa Barbara is based in Santa Barbara, California. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 953234551.
How can I find foundations similar to The Foundation for Santa Barbara?
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Other California grantmakers with overlapping priorities:

About this profile. This page is built from The Foundation for Santa Barbara's public IRS Form 990-PF and 990 filings, indexed by Bespoke Grants alongside 13M+ grants from 225,000+ U.S. foundations. Grant figures reflect filings available to date; IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag. Bespoke Grants is not affiliated with The Foundation for Santa Barbara. Always confirm current giving priorities and application procedures with the foundation directly before applying.